Senate considers Army varsity bill

The Senate, yesterday, considered a bill seeking to give legal backing to the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State.

Sponsor of the bill, Ali Ndume, said the university was approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2018 and has 39 academic programmes in five faculties.

Ndume said the university was established with the aim of promoting research and advancement of knowledge and its practical application to military hardware and software.

He said the university would develop middle and high-level manpower in the area of technological empowerment, and would be supervised by the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, however, suggested that the Army University be directly under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence.

He argued that placing a defence  institution under the Ministry of Education and National Universities Commission would create complications that would be counter-productive in achieving the core objectives of establishing the university.

“Senator Sekibo pointed out that we already have some institutions that train the military, the Nigerian Defence Academy; Command and Staff, Jaji; National Defence College and here is nothing wrong with having the Nigerian Army University.

“But my advice here would be that they should be under one supervision. When you have the first three I mentioned under the Ministry of Defence, and the Nigerian Army University going to the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC), a problem of some sorts could come up, implication and working at cross purposes.

“If we allow, for example, the Nigerian Army University to admit people reading sociology like most of our universities are doing today, the purpose of setting it up will be lost.